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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care

Supply and Geographic Distribution of Geriatric Physicians and Geriatric Nurse Practitioners
Results of a study to explore trends in the supply of geriatric physicians (GMDs) and geriatric nurse practitioners (GNPs) from 2010 to 2020, and disparities between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties. Features county-level maps showing geographic trends in older adults, GMDs, and GNPs among U.S. counties in 2010 and 2020, and statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.
Author(s): Ying Xue, Lusine Poghosyan, Qinyun Lin
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(11), e2444659
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Improving Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Diverse, Low-Resourced Primary Care Clinics
Examines primary care clinics participating in a practice-facilitator led implementation study aimed at improving screening brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) as well as medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder (MAUD). Analyzes 66 clinics located in the northwestern U.S. from 2019-2022 and the supportive activities they used to improve SBIRT and MAUD. Includes commentary on rural and low-resourced primary care clinics.
Author(s): Melinda M. Davis, Jennifer Coury, Victoria Sanchez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 1384
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized in Rural and Urban ICUs From 2010 to 2019
Examines the characteristics of fee-for-service Medicare patients who received intensive care in rural. Compares patient characteristics to those who received intensive care in urban hospitals, and the change in patient characteristics between 2010 and 2019. Presents data by patient age, sex, race and ethnicity, mean area deprivation index rank, primary diagnosis, and more.
Author(s): Emily A. Harlan, Muhammad Ghous, Ira S. Moscovice, Thomas S. Valley
Citation: Critical Care Medicine, 52(10), 1577-1586
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Beneficiary and Clinician Perspectives on Medicare and Other Issues: Findings from 2024 Focus Groups in Select States
Summarizes findings from 24 focus groups of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligible) beneficiaries, and clinicians conducted between May and June 2024, including three virtual focus groups of rural Medicare beneficiaries. Highlights themes that emerged across the focus groups covering Medicare coverage options, access to care, telehealth, organization of care, and prescription drugs.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, NORC at the University of Chicago
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Travel Burden and Bypassing Closest Site for Surgical Cancer Treatment for Urban and Rural Oncology Patients
Examines travel burden to surgical cancer care and its relationship to rurality, bypassing of the nearest surgical site, and mortality rates. Analyzes 2016-218 data of 211,025 Medicare beneficiaries with cancer and includes breakdowns for type of cancer, surgery versus no surgery, patient demographics, patient health conditions, travel time, mortality rates, and location of metro, micro, or small town/rural.
Author(s): Tracy Onega, Niveditta Ramkumar, Gabriel A. Brooks, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Science by the Slice: Rural Community Health Science, Policy, and the Future: Episode 2
Video podcast episode highlighting the 2024 State of the Science Meeting from the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety featuring 2 speakers at the meeting. Discusses disparities in healthcare access for rural and urban residents including facility closures, access to specialty care, and local leadership. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
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Cross-Border Utilization of Cancer Care by Patients in the US and Mexico – A Survey of Mexican Oncologists
Examines cancer care utilization among patients who cross the U.S.-Mexico border to receive care, utilizing data from a survey of 66 cancer care providers working in Mexican border states. Provides data on treatments received and reasons for receiving cross-border care among U.S. and Mexico-based patients.
Author(s): Michael LaPelusa, Haydee Verduzco-Aguirre, Fernando Diaz, Fernando Aldaco, Enrique Soto-Perez-de-Celis
Citation: Globalization and Health, 19, 78
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Rural Hospital Performance in Guideline-Recommended Ischemic Stroke Thrombolysis, Secondary Prevention, and Outcomes
Examines the performance of rural versus urban stroke center and non-stroke center hospitals in delivering guideline-recommended ischemic stroke thrombolysis, providing secondary prevention, and producing favorable outcomes among patients treated for acute ischemic stroke. Utilizes 2017-2019 Get With the Guidelines-Stroke hospital data of 692,839 patients.
Author(s): Shumei Man, David Bruckman, Ken Uchino, et al.
Citation: Stroke, 55(10), 2472-2481
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Socioeconomic and Urban-Rural Disparities in Genome-Matched Treatment Receipt and Survival after Genomic Tumor Testing
Analyzes social advantage in cancer treatment and the relationship to genome-matched treatment and survival rate. Utilizes data from 1,258 patients participating in the Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative with breakdowns according to education, income, and urban, large rural, or small/isolated rural location.
Author(s): Jessica F. DiBiase, Elizabeth Scharnetzki, Emily Edelman, et al.
Citation: JNCI Cancer Spectrum, 8(5)
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Family Medicine Presence on Labor and Delivery: Effect on Safety Culture and Cesarean Delivery
Examines the presence of family medicine (FM) physicians and obstetricians (OBs) during labor and delivery. Utilizes survey data from 849 clinicians at 39 Iowa hospitals to analyze hospitals with FMs, OBs, or both and the association to safety culture and caesarean birth rates. Discusses the importance of FM physicians having intrapartum training and the impact on rural access to to pregnancy care.
Author(s): Emily White VanGompel, Lavisha Singh, Francesca Carlock, et al.
Citation: The Annals of Family Medicine, 22(5), 375-382
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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